Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of ſome other particulars which may be ſometimes Meditated upon in the day.
1. A particular ſin. IT will be my wiſdom to conſider that ſin or corruption which troubles me moſt, which out of this ſpring of ſelf and ſinful intereſt is more apt to owſe out of my heart, and make a breach in the Banks that Chriſt by his grace hath made there. That particular evil which is ſo ſtrong, ſtirring, and ſtriving, to carry me down the ſtream and keep me under: I was upright, ſaith the Prophet, Pſal. 18.23. before him, and kept my ſelf from mine iniquity; that ſin which had been of peculiar prevalence, and would be ſo again; the ſin that had ſpecial edge and eagerneſs, too oft appearing and endeavouring it, attempting to make its eſcape from his watch, his heart-keeping, and appear in act and power.
There is ſome corruption or evil in every ſpirit, which like ſome rank weed in the Garden is ſtill putting up, or ready to put forth, like ſome leak in a Veſſel, ready to run out by it.
This needs a ſpecial minding and conſidering ſutable to its dangerouſneſs, as that which will be a thorn in the Foot, hinder our going, work diſquiet, daſh our confidence before God, and weaken our hands from our work.
I muſt peculiarly conſider this daily, that it get not at any time ground of me, but that I gain upon it more, that I watch it, fight it, look that this Gangreen ſpread not, run not up to my heart, but that I ſtop and kill it.
Minding it duly will provoke to endeavour a right courſe, for the juſt cure and ſound healing of it.
Meditation may be alſo of what other evils are buſie in my boſom, what are ſtirring moſt, what are getting any ground, and what are loſing it.
2. What graces I want, or have moſt need of, to enable me more to lift up the Name of Chriſt, ſweeten my ſpirit with peace, eaſe my courſe, and render me more ſerviceable to others.
Every day I ſhould well attend to what Goſpel Ornaments and Jewels I ought to put on and wear before others, to make my converſation ſhine, Col. 3.12. 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7.
Pliny reports of Poppaea, the Wife of the Roman Emperour Nero, that when ſhe was to go abroad, ſhe ſtill would be deckt and adorn'd with ſuch abundance and varieties of moſt precious Stones and Jewels, as it dazled the eyes of the Beholders.
And I have read of a like manner, of the Mogul or great Emperour in the Eaſt-Indies; who if on ſome ſpecial times he ſits out to be ſeen by the Common people, he puts on ſuch great numbers of Diamonds, Carbuncles, Rubies, and other gliſtering and glorious Jewels, as they cannot without great admiration behold him, yea can hardly, by reaſon of the Suns ſhining and reflections, diſcern his face, the glory of the Jewels is ſo great. Chriſtians muſt conſider their putting on, and wearing the rich Ornaments and Jewels of heavenly graces, to ſhine gloriouſly in them, and take the Eyes of all that behold them with the diſcoveries of the Soul inward Beauties of Faith, Love, Hope, Joy, Fear, Humility, Meekneſs, Patience, Contentedneſs, heavenly mindedneſs and reſt, to the glory of Chriſt, in whoſe beams of Beauty and Glory they ever ſhould ſhine.
3. When holy David in his courſe of Meditation, after matters of his private concernment, cloſes ſo ordinarily the whole Meditation, with that grand intereſt of Zion, the Churches caſe; may not this be then a Rule to our Meditation, for a high demonſtration of our publick ſpiritedneſs, our conſtant mindings of that ſuperlative and tranſcendent intereſt of God in this world, the glory of his great Name in the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt, and the people given to him, their peace, proſperity, and glory, and the diſappointments of all their Enemies Deſigns, which alſo is an Article in their Heavenly Jointure?
Some other particulars might farther be mentioned to be taken in by Meditation, ſuch as matters of our callings and daily converſe in varieties of Companies and Friends, and how to be right Chriſtian in them, excell in improving them to their proper uſes and ends, for the glory of God.
4. Meditation for review of the work of the day. There remains but one thing more to be added, namely, in the cloſe of the day, ſhould be, or is fit to be, that Meditation of review, or that overlooking of matters in the foregoing day, to make a happy cloſing it up, by a freſh humbling our ſelves, and returning to God, and acting new Recumbencies on his free, rich grace in Chriſt, by the precious promiſes, to ſweeten our lying down.
5. And in the Night ſeaſon, that great time with David and others of the Saints, When I awake, let me be ever with God, and my Meditation of him ſweet. Pſal. 139. & Pſal. 104.
The ſum of that hath been mentioned about daily Meditation, is
1. To enter the Duty at our awaking with Reflections on the matters of the Night paſt, the preſervations and comforts eſpecially of that time.
2. To look forward to the incumbencies of the coming day, and how beſt to redeem it; by Endeavour
1. To act a freſh ſetting up the ſupreme end of glorifying God.
2. To have a ſerious muſing on the next end, my own Eternal Happineſs.
3. Then to mind the proportionate means to the mark or end I aim at.
1. Therefore firſt to look wiſhly at the fullneſs of Chriſt, freely offered, as the way to God and happineſs.
2. To Meditate on our mighty helper the Holy Spirit, the great Applyer of Redemption.
3. Meditations on the Ordinances of Chriſt, the walks and ways the Holy Spirit comes in, and applies Chriſt to the Soul by.
4. Meditation of the Word and Promiſes which the Spirit in the Ordinances uſeth, as the peculiar inſtruments of drawing the heart to Chriſt, and of applying him daily more.
5. Meditation of the ſeveral Graces to be continually (on the occaſions requiring) exerciſed and improved.
6. Meditation of our ſpiritual Enemies, the Fleſh within, Satan and the World without.
More particularly.
1. Meditating in reference to reading the Holy Scripture, with thoſe graces I am to exerciſe in my Reading.
2. The Meditation private Prayer calls for, if I pray before reading, or when I can and am any time in the day to pray privately.
3. Meditation of what is the chief grace I am defective in, or the peculiar bleſſing I want at preſent.
4. Meditation of the grand intereſt of God, as relating to his Church in the world.
5. The Meditation of review, or ſelf-examination in reference to things of the day paſt.
Theſe heads I have mentioned, not to impoſe on any, as to matter or method abſolutely, but to propoſe ſome things, which if not alway neceſſary, yet that may be performed, in ſome degree, as ability and opportunity admits.
Divers of the particulars (if daily Meditation be judged neceſſary by us) I am ſure then they inuſt be judged neceſſary for ſuch as daily will obſerve it.